Pump-plunger structure



March 31, 1931. J. A. YERKES ET AL 1,798,294

PUMP PLUNGER STRUCTURE Filed April 2, 1928 I N V EN TORS Jb/m H. Yerkes Fees M Aemmol? -4 BY f 23 M 77% A TTORNEYJ Patented Mar. 31, 1931 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE JOHN A. YEBKES AND REES H. LEMMON, 0F LONG BEACH, CALIFORNIA PUMP-PLUNGER STRUCTURE Application filed April 2, 1928. Serial No. 266,696.

This invention relates to a plunger structure for well pumps and the like. In pump ing of liquid for well holes, especially oil wells, the liquid carries sand and other foreign abrasive materials. Durin the intervals when the column of liquid is not being moved upward, as upon tl e down stroke of the plunger, such abrasive material lodges in the spaces where the liquid is comparatively quiescent. This is especially so at the upper periphery of the plunger. In oil pumps, the sand comes directly in contact with the cups of the plunger cutting them out rapidly so that the plunger must be removed and the packing replaced frequently. Obviously, this is a serious interference with the operation of a well. The resent invention has for its primary object t e provision of a pump plunger with means to catch the abrasive ma terial which settles and to hold it in a position that it will be carried away with the column of liquid as the latter is discharged and elevated. To this end, we have provided a plunger having a circumferential member disposed above the plunger packing to catch the abrasive materials and which is located in the path of the discharge of liquid so as to be flushed on each working stroke of the plunger. Additional specific objects of this invention are the provision of a valve plunger with a packing ring for the plunger disposed so that the liquid passing through the plunger will flush the upper surface of the rm 'I hese objects together with other objects and corresponding accom lishments are obtained by means of the em odiment of our invention illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a pump tubing having an inserted working barrel therein, partly seen in elevation and part in section; Fig. 2 is an enlarged section partly in elevation showing the upper end of the pump bar- .rel and lunger; and Fig. 3 is a section as seen on the line 33 of Fig. 2.

Referring more particularly to the drawing, 5 marks the usual string of tubing, the joints of which are coupled together and at the upper portion of the inserted barrel, the

coupling comprises a shoe 6. At the lower portion of the pump barrel the coupling comprises a shoe 7 formed in two parts and having a pump barrel anchoring device 8. The working barrel of the pump is indicated generally by 9, it having a compensating seat 10 at the upper end, and a bevelled seat 11 at the lower end. These features of construction form no part of the resent invention, being shown for illustratlve purposes only and the details thereof are not described here- Within the pump barrel is a plunger having a tubular body 12. Secured to the body is a ring 13. Resting on the ring 13 is a packing cup 14 and mounted over the cup packing 14 is a cup ring 15. There are a series of such cup rings mounted on the pump body in the usual manner. Threaded upon the upper end of the pump barrel is a spacer ring 16 having an upper face and seated thereon is a seating ring 17 preferably provided with an unbroken flat upper face. There is an internal recess 18 in the seating ring to provide a space for the reception of the lower end of a valve cage shown as having four wings 19 and a crown 20 adapted to be connected to a string of sucker rods 21. The lower ring end of a valve cage is externally reduced in diameter to provide a ledge or shoulder 22 opposing the seating face on rin 17. Disposed between the seaiangfringl and the ledge 22 is a packing ring 23, which may be of the expansible metal type. It will be noted that the upper face of ring 23 is adjacent the lower margins of the openings formed between the rings and meets the ring base of the cage preventing sand from passing below the cage and between the plunger and barrel and thereby having access to the cup leathers.

The position of the ring 23 is such that upon discharge of fluid through the hollow plunger, the upper surface of the ring will be flushed. Upon each downstroke of the pump, there is a. tendency for sand to settle and odge on the ring. The latter prevents the sand from passing to the cup and saves wear. The sand will not work down between the barrel and plunger, because of the flush ing action upon each working stroke, which agitates and disturbs it. Furthermore, there is a leak tight fit between the seating ring and the packing ring preventing the sand from working around back of the ring.

What we claim is 1. In a tubular pump plunger, a cage secured thereto for detachment of a rod for reciprocating said plunger, said cage having a ring base and lateral openings for discharge of liquid being pumped, and a circumferential expansible packing ring for said plunger disposed at the lower margins of said opening whereby the upper and back surfaces of said ring will be flushed, said ring forming a joint with said ring base.

2. In a tubular pump plunger, a cage having a crown and lower ring base joined by wings whereby to provide lateral discharge openings in said cage, a circumferential expansible packing ring for said plunger disposed at the lower mar ins of said openin whereby the upper and ack surfaces of said ring will be flushed, said ring forming a joint with said ring base.

3. A plunger having a tubular body, packing on said body, there being a circumferential shoulder on said plunger at the upper end, an expansible metallic packing ring mounted on said shoulder, an upper cage having a ring base and lateral openings for In witness that we claim the foregoing we have hereunto subscribed our names this 27th day of February, 1928.

JOHN A. YERKES. REES H. LEMMON.

passage of liquid secured to said'body and aving a ledge engaged with said ring to clamp the latter against said shoulder, the upper surface of said rin being disposed at the lower margins of said 0 enin so as to be flushed on the top and 'ack y the liquid being pumped, said ring forming a joint with said ring base.

4. A plunger having a tubular body, cup rings and cups mounted on said body, a seating ring above said cup rings and plunger, an expansible metallic packing ring seated on said seating ring,"an upper ca e having a rin base and lateral openings or passage of iquid secured to said body and provided with a ledge for engaging the u per face of said packing ring, the upper ace of said packing ring being disposed at the lower margins of said 0 nin s so as to be flushed onthe top and bac by t e liquid discharged, said ring formin a joint with said ring base.

5. A plunger aving a tubularbody, cu rings and cups mounted on said body an secured thereto against longitudinal displacement, an upper seat ring disposed on the upper cup ring and having an upper seating face, a packing ring seated on the upper face of said seating ring, a cage havin a crown and lower ring joined by wings, 1e ges in said wings opposing the upper face of said seating ring, for clamping said packing ring upon said seating ring whereby the upper surfaces of said packing ring will be flushed by the liquid being pumped. 

